Train-signal for railways



(No Model.)

A. H. R. GUILEY. TRAIN SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS.

N0. 535,332 Patented Mar. 5, 1895.

| PETERS ca, mum-Ln Mrs I arena Orrrcs.

AUGUSTUS H. R. GUILEY, OF SOUTH EASTON, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO WILSON B. SOLLIDAY, OF EASTON, AND ELIJAH B. CORNELL, OF PHILA- DELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRAIN-SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS.

SPEOIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 535,332, dated March 5, 1895 Application filed January 22,1894. Serial No. 497,646. (No model.)

To aZl whom it may coir/earn.-

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS H. R.GUILEY, of South Easton, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have'invented a new and ImprovedTrain-Signal for Railways, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming a part thereof, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a railway provided with a signal adapted for trains running in one direction only. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a railway provided with a signaling system for trains running in opposite directions on the same track. Fig. 3 is adetail r5 perspective view of one of the joints of a rail showing the electrical connections. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of a portion of one of the contact plates and the brush making contact a section of railway and a pair of contact plates; and Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the connections on the locomotive.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

The object of my invention is to provide an effective train signal by means of which trains running upon the same track will in dicate to each other their presence on different sections of the track.

The invention consists in the particular construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claim.

In describing my invention, I will first re- 5 fer to a single track railway fitted with an alarm calculated to operate with trains running in the same direction. I will then describe it as adapted to a railway having trains running toward each other in opposite 4o directions.

The railway track is composed of the electrically continuous rail A and the interrupted rails 13, which is made of sections a, a, a electrically insulated from each other. In

5 practice, I separate the sections by a block b of insulating material, as shown in Fig. 3, and I connect the rails by means of a wooden bar or fish plate 0. Between the rails A, B, at the entering end of each section of the rail B, is placed a contact plate 0, and between the rails near the last end of the section is'placed a contact plate C. These contact plates are preferably placed between the rails, but maybe putin other positions. The contact plates 0, G, are connected electrically with a wire D, which extends forward from the section a to the section a, from the section a to the section a and so on.

The locomotive, represented by the wheels E, carries an alarm bell d, a battery 6 and a brush f, the said brush being capable of touching the contact plates O, O, as it is carried along the track by the locomotive. When a locomotive carrying a battery, alarm and brush passes over the section ct, for example, in the direction indicated by the arrow, if the next section a in advance is clear when the brushf, strikes the contact plate 0, no effect is produced. The silence of the alarm bell (2 therefore, indicates safety. But when the section in advance is obstructed by a car F, the circuit is completed as the brush f strikes the contact plate 0, and the current flows from the battery through the brushf, through the contact plate 0, through the wire D, through the rail section 0. through the wheel and axle of the car F, through the rail A and axle of the locomotive, andthrough the alarm bell back to the battery, thus giving an alarm,indicating that the next block in advance is 00- 8o cupied.

In the case of a track fitted with a signal adapted to operate for cars running in either direction, contact plates 0, O, and O C are placed on opposite sides of the center line of the track and equally distant from the rails.

In the case of the double arrangement the contact plates 0, O are connected in the manher already described, so that when a train moves in the direction indicated by the arrow 1, the operation of the device will be the same as that already described. When the train enters from the direction indicated by the ar row 2, the brushftouching the contact plate 0 produces no effect unless the car or 1000- 5 motive is on a section including the rail a, when the circuit is closed through the contact plate 0 wire D, the axle of the locomotive or car E and the continuous rail A, giving the alarm.

To increase the certainty of knowing the condition of the section in advance, I provide additional contact plates at the end of the section, as indicated by dotted lines, so that by contact of the brush with such plates, the condition of the section in advance may be ascertained at the last moment before the entrance of the train upon the said section. For the sake of convenience where two contact plates are used, I employ separate brushes for each contact, and on the locomotive I furnish a switch G by means of which either of the brushes maybe thrown into connection with the battery and devices carried by the locomotive.

In practice, I tind it advantageous to place in the track circuit a relay H, which is located in the cab of the engine, and to put the alarm bell d in a local circuit controlled by the relay, the ringing of the bell being effected by the battery 6', as shown in Fig. 6. One terminal of the relay is connected with the battery, and the brush is connected with the brush switch. The other terminal of the relay is connected with the axle box of the locomotive.

Although any suitable contact plate may be used in connection with my device, I prefer to use a plate as constructed and shown in Fig. 5, said plate consisting of flat bars 0, C of iron supported by standards g, secured to the ties. The ends of the flat bar are bent down at a slight angle and fastened to the ties. To avoid any possibly accident to the electrical connection of the contact plates 0, C the conductor in each case is connected with two, three or more of the standards g, by rivets or buttons of unoxidizable material, and the conductor is concealed and carried under the rail by a box h, as shown in Fig. 3. The brushf which strikes the contact plates is secured in a holder 1' attached to a rod j, which slides in a bracket 70 suspended from the locomotive. The said rod j and holder '5 are pressed downwardly by a spiral spring Z, surrounding the rod j.

By means of the construction illustrated in Fig. 2, the signaling system may be adapted to roads provided with tank-filling troughs at the center of the track, the contact plates being arranged at opposite sides of the trough, or in such position as not to interfere with it.

It will be observed that trains running from each other in opposite directions would receive no signal, the apparatus being arranged so that signals can be given only when trains approach each other.

My present invention is an improvement on the electric block system for railways, for which Letters Patent of the United States, No. 454,344, were granted to me June 16,1891. In that patent I described and claimed diagonal contact plates designed to be engaged by the lateral pressure of contact arms. In my present claim I cover a form of contact plate and brush which has been found more satisfactory in practice than the former device.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The contact plates 0, formed of thin long plates bent downwardly and fastened at their ends, a series of standards 9 secured to the ties and plates, and a series of contact buttons inserted at intervals along the plate, composed of plugs or bolts of non-oxidizable metal, or of a metal which is protected by galvanic union with the iron of the plate and connected to the wire of the plate, substantially as specified.

AUGUSTUS H. R. GUILEY.

Witnesses:

CHAS. B. BRUNNER, JOHN BRUNNER. 

